Introducing Prologue — We're fans of Twitter around here, in fact many Automatticians have accounts, but while the format appealed to us it really just whetted our appetite for something more, like a way for each of us to share short messages about what we're doing or working on internally, or private messages between groups of folks.

O2 improves package for iPhone users — Mobile network O2 has overhauled the cost of using Apple's iPhone handset just two months after it went on sale in the UK. — The mobile network today announced that iPhone owners who are currently paying its lower-rate tariffs of £35 …

Rapidshare To Be Forced to Shut Down Following Court Defeat? — Last week we reported on rumors that Rapidshare had, or was about to be, shut down, rumors that now look likely to resurface. The company, one of the world's largest ‘one-click’ file hosting services, has lost a copyright infringement case …

Liberty Media Takes Action To Force Diller Out of IAC — Liberty Media Corp. took steps Monday to seize control of IAC/InterActiveCorp from IAC Chairman Barry Diller. — Liberty, which owns a majority voting stake in IAC that has long been voted by Mr. Diller under a longstanding proxy agreement …

11 Power Tips for Gmail — Wow, I can't believe how many people commented on my late-Friday night post about desired features for Gmail. If you want to suggest something for Gmail, that thread is the better place to do it. But looking through the comments, I saw a few requests that can already be done today.

U2 manager urges ISPs to help fight web piracy — The music industry should shift the focus of its battle with internet piracy towards the technological industries which have “built multibillion dollar industries on the back of our content without paying for it”, according to Paul McGuinness, manager of rock group U2.

HTC share of Windows Mobile smartphone segment declining — High Tech Computer (HTC) has lost the title as the global top ranking vendor of Windows Mobile-based smartphones (excluding touch-screen models), with its share of the segment falling to below 30% currently, trailing behind Motorola …

MSI: LEDs, Blu-ray Disc, Eco big in laptops this year — Notebook PCs coming out this year will likely include more colorful screens thanks to LED (light emitting diode) backlights and Blu-ray Disc optical drives this year, an executive from Micro-Star International (MSI) says, as well as more environmentally friendly attributes.

MySpace wins UK domain name that pre-dated its service — Myspace.co.uk was registered 'abusively' — Social networking company MySpace has won the right to have the domain name myspace.co.uk transferred to it despite the fact that it was registered six years before MySpace was founded.

How To Create Compelling Social Media Profiles — Social media is not really new anymore, but many people still struggle with the subtle things that might help or hurt success within the top social communities. Recently Muhammad Saleem published a great article on the various tips …

If Apple Sold Sheets Of Paper... ... you could ask the people who bought it if they take it by the ream. — Seriously speaking, I've never once considered making an Apple parody video until seeing the ad for the MacBook Air. What is it about the thing that lends itself so well to mockery?

Barracuda turns to open source users for patent research — A security vendor whose product is heavily based on open source is looking to users to help it beat a 1995 antivirus software patent. — Barracuda Networks CEO Dean Drako says his company won't license a virus scanning patent from Trend Micro …

This Just In: Yahoo's Q4 Will Be “Strong” (YHOO) — We said earlier that we expected Yahoo's Q4 results to be “fine." We have since been told by a well-placed source that the results will be not “fine” but strong. What's more, says the source, Q1 numbers will also be strong …